Of Pirates and Thunder Storms
by Minatu-chan
Summary: Aiya makes a bet with a pirate, the first-mate of the Whitebeard Pirates. She doesn't quite know the consequences of losing the bet, but neither does the pirate. It was a bet on her house. Will she win... or will she lose?


**Okay! Um, This is actually my first os that's been written at the request of someone else. Since I tend to do things on the spur of the moment, I don't regularly do something like this. It took me a while to figure out what I was even going to write about. I could make it longer... but I'm too lazy. Anyways, I hope you like your present, Portgas D. Paula! :D**

**_Disclaimer- _I don't own One Piece.  
**

**ONWARD!**

Marco walked along the beach of a random island. He was a bit lost. His captain, no his _father_, was dead as well as Ace. He almost didn't know what to do with himself. He kicked sand up absent mindedly. He was normally so cool headed, but loss now lined his face. He looked wiser, more battle worn. It wasn't shocking at all that he was weary. He had practically been the Whitebeard Pirates' first-mate. He was then facing the same situation as Raleigh when Gol D. Rodger passed on

Marco sighed, staring up at the blue sky. White, fluffy clouds crept across the sky lazily. It was almost carefree. Sorrow made it hard for Marco to feel as easy going as the clouds. He missed the easy feel of life with Whitebeard. There was hard times too, but it was nice to be able to laugh with friendly and trusted company as well. But he needed alone time now. It was the best way to ease the festering wound in his heart. He missed his father.

...

Aiya stretched her arms way above her head, yawning loudly. Tears sprung up into her eyes as she did. The brunette swung her legs over the side of her bed, shuffling over to her dresser. She peered at her reflection through sleepy eyes. She wasn't surprised to find her hair sticking up into the air mockingly. She didn't dare run her finger through the massive mess of tangles either. She looked away from her reflection and entered her bathroom, undressing quickly. Water always cured the worst cases of bed head.

After her shower, Aiya felt much more awake. Her curly hair flowed over her bare shoulders. A bobby pin hung from her full, pale pink lips. Tired green eyes stared at her from the mirror. _Do I always look this tired?_ The very question was a part of her daily routine. She sighed and walked into her room at a rushed pace. It was a weekend, and time was wasting. She only had the afternoon to herself now.

Aiya threw her hair into a large clip, pinning back her short bangs with the bobby pin. She pulled on a loose, cotton and green v-neck with a small pocket on the breast and a pair of loose fitting and worn blue jeans. She still looked tired. Sighing to herself, Aiya left the house, locking the door behind her. She began her short walk through town. She refused to look in windows for fear of being reeled in to buy something. Aiya held her hands in fists at her sides, moving like she had a purpose. It wasn't like she wanted someone to stop her on one of her few free days. It was her "me" day. Aiya felt like she deserved it more than anyone else.

...

I found myself standing before the great expanse of the ocean. Waves splashing toward my feet, most likely attempting to make my shoes wet. I sat on a large rock, breathing in the salty air. The sea was so comforting to me. Sometimes, I didn't even know why I needed to go and stare at it. I could do it for hours too, just sitting there and thinking over my life. Maybe I was some sort of failure. I had to be thankful that I could at least hold down a good enough job to stay in my house. I rarely had money to burn though. Times were tough, especially on this desolate island. We recently lost the protection of the marines, so there was less tourism, which was our constant revenue. I thought that I was going to lose my job any day, then kicked out of my house because I could no longer afford it. It was all very scary to me. And so real.

I came out of my thoughts for a few moments, just long enough to see a tall man with a mop of blonde hair upon his head. He stuck out like a sore thumb with his expensive clothing. It was all so brightly colored. I couldn't help but stare in total envy and disbelief. Was he possibly a traveler? We hadn't seen a tourist in at least two years. My body froze, yet my mind commanded me to stand. I just wouldnt. I had no idea of what I was supposed to do anymore. Our eyes met. He looked just as tired and worn down as I did. He was definitely not a tourist. He was just lost. I suddenly was freed from the ice my body had turned into. I stood.

"Um... Hello," I said, greeting him simply. I didn't really know what to say though. His brown eyes stared down at me as he folded his arms across his chest defensively. Had I some how gotten off on the wrong foot?

"M-my name is Aiya. Welcome to Cloud Island. It's famous for the cloud watching facilities... If you want I can show you around, er... something. Eep! I'm babbling, aren't I?" I smiled nervously. I watched as the side of his mouth quirked up slightly.

"Hello, Aiya," he replied reluctantly, "Most girls would've run from me by now." I stared at the large tattoo on his chest through narrowed eyes. I felt like I'd seen it somewhere before. The it dawned on me. _He's a pirate!_ I suddenly felt like a fool, and my face heated up. He was a PIRATE! I gave him a nervous look. He wasn't going to hurt me, was he?

"Ah... um... I didn't realize you were a pirate. S-sorry, sir. If I bothered you," I whispered quietly, "I'll leave you alone n-now..." The muscles in his arms flexed slightly, but he didn't seem annoyed at all. Instead he appeared to be rather calm.

"Huh, makes sense now. Run away if you want," he sighed. His eyes reminded me of my own though. I wanted to talk to him, but I would be shamed if I did... any more than I'd already had. I seriously considered running off, but a part of me was really curious. I wanted to know why such a carefree pirate was doing looking like he had many more troubles than he'd asked for.

"Um... What's your name?" I asked, refusing to meet his eyes. It was a simple compromise. I was curious, but I was too afraid of being seen with the pirate. So I had to watch and make sure no one was going to see me with him. Therefore, I was guaranteed safety. He didn't reply, so I returned my eyes to him.

"Marco," he finally answered. The name didn't seem to ring a bell inside my head for some reason. I felt like I should recognize it. I pondered this for a long moment. Then it popped into my head.

"Wah! You're 'Marco the Phoenix', aren't you?" I cried, surprise contorting my face. He watched my expression curiously, the side of his mouth quirking up slightly again. He seemed more like the type to smile than frown. He had fairly distinct smile lines on his face. I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to make him contradict his outward appearance so much.

"So you know my name?" He inquired curiously. He seemed to be toying with me a bit. It was a bit annoying. I frowned at him.

"Of course! You run with the Whitebeard Pirates! You've got quite the bounty on your name," I replied. He looked away from me and at the ground. Something I had said triggered the sadness in him. I wondered what I'd said.

"M-Marco...?" I asked, trying to regain his attention. This guy was interesting and didn't seem so dangerous as everyone made pirates out to be. I'd managed to talk to him for five minutes without getting my throat slit. That had to be a good sign. He straightened suddenly appearing as if nothing had happened. I felt a bit worried about the guy. Damn me and my stupid empathy.

"You're a strange kid," he told me suddenly. Anger flared up within me. I tightened my hands into fists.

"I'm not a kid! I'm more of an adult than you are, mister!" I replied, stabbing him in the chest with my finger. A large frown growing naturally across my face. I probably looked normal with a frown on my face. Just like Marco looked more natural with a smile. It was kind of sad. Two sides of emotion.

"I'm not so sure about that," he replied, teasing me a bit. He was definitely poking fun at me. What a jerk!

"I am not a kid! I have a house and a job! Unlike some people," I said with a sour tone. He stared at me for a long moment, simply smirking.

"Alright then. Let's make a bet. If you still have your house in three years, then I'll consider you an adult," Marco said to me, his arms folded tightly across his chest. I pondered this for a moment.

"Okay, deal," I replied, glaring at him slightly, "I'll show you."

...

Two years had passed, and Cloud Island had fallen into poverty. So few people could manage to keep a job, much less a house. Aiya left the island in search of a new sanctuary. She found an island called Dreamer Isle. It had a small dock town that was bustling full of life. It was a wonderful place for a new start, but Aiya could no longer keep a job like she used to. She had grown accustomed to the way of a thief. She was incredible at it as well. She'd been honing her skills in it for almost two years. She'd lost the bet with that pirate a few months after he disappeared. She had been so upset about it. Out of house and job so quickly. Cloud Island fell to anarchy. Several families left to protect themselves. Those that didn't, like Aiya, changed. She'd finally managed to leave though.

Under the cover of darkness, Aiya stalked through the alleys. She came to the docks curiously at the sound of voices. A large pirate ship sat in the dock. The Jolly Rodger was a familiar sight to her, though she couldn't place where she'd seen it before. She didn't even remember the pirate she'd made the bet with so many years ago. Her brown hair was tied back with two metal darts. She stared at the pirate ship with narrowed eyes. This was a marine protected island, yet there those pirates were, partying.

Aiya stalked through the shadows, slowly making her way over to the large pirate ship. Then she heard a pirate say something that sounded a lot like the name "Marco". That spurred on a small spew of memories. Marco... that was the pirate that had jinxed her luck on Cloud Island. She tightened her hands into fists. He probably wouldn't even recognize her. She was going to steal money from him too. Aiya silently scaled up the side of the ship. The whispers of the sea winds warming her cool skin. She hoped she'd find something nice on the ship. Aiya peered onto the deck curiously, and her eyes fell upon the man, Marco.

"Marco, shouldn't we be heading for the New World already?" A random crew member asked. Marco shook his head, looking a bit serious.

"I have to visit someone first. We'll be there tomorrow, then we'll head for the new world," Marco replied. Aiya froze. He was actually keeping his promise? But the place was in ruin! Surely he should've known that. She tightened her grip around the ship. She felt a bit guilty. She'd been about to steal from a man who kept his promises. Aiya began to climb back down. She couldn't do it. Marco didn't deserve it. He seemed better too. She could at least feel happy for that. She had been remembered, but the Aiya Marco had met all those years ago was dead. She even had a grave for herself. Her house had been burned down, and the towns people had declared her dead, but she was fine. She'd just used it as a chance to run. Now she was Leigh. At least during the day. At nighttime, she was Aiya the thief once more.

...

I lost my grip part of the way down, and crashed down onto the deck. _Shit._ I bit back my cry of pain, pushing myself to my feet as quickly as I could. I had to run before they saw me. I burst into a sprint down the dock, when blue fire appeared in front of me. I froze my tracks, fear taking over my body. I had to escape somehow. The flames faded away to reveal Marco. So that was how he got the "Phoenix" part of his name. I kind of wanted him to recognize me, but I knew he wouldn't. All the fat in my body was gone, leaving me lean and rather angular. I had a small portion of fat that went to the womanly shape of me, but due to malnutrition, I looked sickly more than anything else. His brown eyes stared at me for a long time before he seemed to register something.

"You changed islands," he commented. Shock thundered through my veins. How? That was crazy! He couldn't have known it was me. It had been too long, and we'd still been practically strangers when he left the island all those years ago.

"I had to," I answered swiftly, my eyes still darting around and searching for my escape route. My fingers twitched, hovering over the hilts of my dual daggers. I had to escape.

"What happened?" He asked. I grabbed my daggers pulling them out of their sheaths. The dark metal glinted in the darkness, catching what little light there was and reflecting it. I launched myself forward, my daggers colliding with his sword. He seemed to not be fighting at his full strength. I glared at him from between my daggers, then jumped back. I took to the alleyways that I was far more familiar with. I hoped to not see him again. He was most likely going to be a bad omen for me.

I sped past dumpsters, knocked over towers of trash on accident and stepped on a few stray cats. I was running away for swiftness not silence. My hair was beginning to fall out of its neat hold. I grabbed the darts out of my hair and hid them in my pouch. When I stepped out of the shadows, someone grabbed me.

"Hello thief, you've alluded us for much too long," a man growled into my ear. He held me by my wrists. I froze in shock. They'd actually recognized me? Who had ratted me out? No one ever saw me when I was thieving! And I never stole from classy places with cameras because I didn't know how to deal with them yet! I was still learning.

"Let go of me!" I snapped, jerking in the policeman's grip. He pulled me back roughly, and I went stumbling back into his solid chest.

"No. You're going to sit in jail and rot for several years," the policeman replied, pushing me forward. The metal pair of handcuffs were cold and holding my arms in an uncomfortable position. At that moment, I wished I was a Devil Fruit user. It would be an easy escape.

"Let go!" I yelled, ramming my shoulder into his chest, yet the policeman was unfazed. He pushed me against the wall suddenly.

"Quit trying to escape, scoundrel," he hissed, shoving me into the stone wall. Pain coursed through me as rough spots in the stone scraped away at my skin. Then the policeman's grip was gone. I dropped away from the wall, staring at the darkness around me. Images began to clear, and I saw Marco standing in front of me.

"You ran away. That only means that you lost the bet and fell into the darker antics of a pirate," he said with a small smile. He crouched before me, holding out his hand. It was a kind, almost gentle gesture. I had met a kind pirate all those years ago. I was lucky. He could've been a cruel creature and hurt me in unspeakable ways.

"I am a thief. I deserved what that policeman was going to do with me," I told Marco in a soft voice. He didn't reply, only continued to stare at me.

"Isn't there something you want, since you won our little bet?" I asked. Marco smiled a little more.

"How about becoming a pirate?" He inquired, still holding a single hand out to me. I stared at it, seriously considering his offer. The police knew who I was now. I had to leave anyway. His hand looked warm and inviting. I began to reach out to it, but stopped.

How would I be useful to a powerful pirate like him? I dropped my hand, looking away.

"Why?" I whispered quietly. His tired, brown eyes stared at me, seeming to take in my rugged features.

"You seem to have potential," he replied, rubbing the stubble on his chin thoughtfully. I stared at him curiously. Then I placed my hand in his. Warmth spiraled from it into my ice cold fingers. He pulled me quickly to my feet.

"Could you take off my handcuffs?" I asked. They were at least cuffed in front of me, which allowed some movement, but I wanted to be free of them. Marco's sword flew between my wrists in a flash of movement. He was incredibly fast. Much faster than I could even see. I stared at my two new bracelets. I'd probably get the left one off as soon as I sat down and fiddled with the lock. The other one, however, didn't have a key hole on it.

"Thank you," I whispered, still hanging onto his other hand. The warmth in his hand was comforting for some reason. Marco led me to the dock, where his much quieter boat sat, rocking in the waves. The flag was similar to the tattoo on Marco's chest. I nervously moved closer to Marco, unsure of how his crew mates were going to react to me, the thief. Instead, it appeared as if everyone had gone to their quarters to sleep.

"This our ship. We are the Phoenix Pirates, yet we have Whitebeard's Jolly Rodger," Marco told me in a slightly reflective voice. I stared up at him in silence.

"Whitebeard was your captain before?" I asked curiously. I felt like I was supposed to let go of his hand at that point, but I didn't want to.

"Yes," he replied, "he was also my father." Shock rose through me.

"F-father!?" I gasped. I heard him chuckle softly.

"Not biologically, but figuratively," he said to me. Marco's voice was soft and gentle when he spoke of Whitebeard. I knew that he would not have left Whitebeard until his death, which meant Whitebeard was dead. I squeezed Marco's hand slightly.

"I'm sorry," I breathed, hanging my head. I hadn't realized that I was poking at an old wound in Marco's heart.

"What for?" He asked, his hold around my hand had loosened. I still didn't want to let go though. I reluctantly pulled my hand away from his, missing the warmth almost immediately.

"I didn't realize..." I stopped myself. I could hear movement on the ship. It was a sneaky type, like an amateur thief. I stared in the direction that I'd heard the person. Marco seemed to have notice what I was looking at as well.

"Shit!"

"Shhh! Be quiet!" When I looked over at Marco, an amused smile had spread across his face. I was confused as to why he seemed so amused, but a playful glint had appeared in his eyes. It enticed me, I was a bit weak to the more positive expressions on Marco's face. I stared at him curiously.

"Follow me," he whispered softly. I nodded, at a loss for words as Marco moved easily on the spur of the moment. He was light on his feet, more so than I. He led me to a room in silence.

"This is your room," he told me. Then he left the room. What had Marco been thinking about before? I looked around the bland room in silence.

...

Weeks had passed by and I was completely settled into the whole pirate environment. I was used to the constant rocking of the boat. Marco was a good captain, but his eyes still seemed sad. It was almost like he didn't want to be the captain. He must still be sad about Whitebeard's death. I leaned over the rails of the boat, looking down at the lazy sea. My hair hung to one side of my face, clinging to the wind and spinning in spirals. I was the only girl on the ship, but I could hold my own. This gained me the respect and love of many of the crew. It was a bit unnerving at times. I stared at the deep blues and whites that were caught on the waves before turning back to the rest of the world. Marco was lying down lazily beneath the morning sun. It was another lazy day for us it seemed. I stretched, yawning loudly. The noise caught Marco's attention and he looked over at me.

"Good morning, captain," I smiled, sitting next to him. His dark brown eyes stared up at me for a long moment.

"Morning," he replied tiredly and yawned. It kind of amused me. He was usually fairly laid back, which made it tempting to mess with him. Especially when he was sleeping. I liked to whisper things in his ears while he was sleeping too, just to see his reaction.

"You ready to face the day?" I asked, staring at him blankly. The sky smelt heavily of rain, so I had a bit to worry about. It would be my first storm on a boat. I wasn't sure of what it was going to be like, but it was kind of exciting. He snorted, closing his eyes again. I blew air in his face, throughly disturbing him. His face scrunched up in an adorable manner, and my heart skipped a beat. I stood up, deciding to leave him alone for a little while.

By the afternoon, the sea turned choppy. The boat swayed back and forth precariously and occasionally dropped between gigantic waves. It was all incredibly rough, yet no one seemed all that worried about it. They said it was just your average thunderstorm. I found myself running to Marco in tears.

"Marco!" I cried, falling over as the boat keeled to the port. Marco looked down at me, his blonde hair plastered to his face. I struggled to my feet, and stood before him, shaking.

"I'm scared," I whimpered, wrapping my cold arms around myself. Marco's gaze softened. He touched my shoulders gently, probably unsure of where he was allowed to touch me. I let out a cry and latched myself onto his waist. I pressed my face to his warm chest, tears tumbling down my face. The boat slammed down into the ocean, shaking everything. Thunder growled and snapped across the dark sky. Marco led me, stumbling, inside the boat and to my room.

"Just stay in here," he told me gently. I tightened my grip around him, sniveling.

"Don't leave me," I replied, my voice shaking and weak. Marco was so warm. He ran his fingers through my dripping hair. It looked black and lifeless with all the water in it. Neither of us looked great when we were soaked to the bone by water. Marco seemed at a loss for words.

"Please," I whispered, curling my fingers into his wet, purple jacket.

"You need to, at least, get out of your wet clothes before you freeze," Marco told me. I blushed slightly. I really didn't want him to leave my sight though. Something about Marco made me feel safe despite the rocking of the ship and the crackling of thunder.

"I... umm... don't look," I whispered, putting my hands over his eyes. I watched as his cheeks turned pink. He wasn't accustomed to being in the same room as a girl when she was changing. When I lifted my hands, he kept his eyes closed. I hurried to change. The only thing I really had though, was a large shirt and underwear. I hid the wet clothes in my bathroom. I returned to in front of him.

"You can open your eyes now," I told him in a tiny voice. He looked down at me and blushed again. I was now scantily dressed in a t-shirt, "Don't you need to change too?" The realization just dawned on me, but I really didn't want him to leave. Marco averted his eyes from me, blushing slightly. He wasn't the only one.

"Yes," he told me, most likely hoping that I'd allow him to leave. I wrapped my arms around my stomach, attempting to fend off the cold.

"Go," I told him quietly, "but please come back." He left me alone, and all the terror immediately returned to me. I fell to my knees, hitting the ground only moments later. Tears ran down my face, and I held myself in the fetal position. My heart raced. I didn't know how to handle all the jerky motions of the ship. My stomach ached vaguely. When Marco returned, he immediately approached me. I reached out to him like a child to her father. He picked me up, placing me onto my feet.

"Marco!" I cried, hanging onto him tightly. He patted my back lightly.

"You're okay," he told me gently. He picked me up, taking me over to the bed. I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding myself close to him. His warmth filled my ice cold body quickly. He leaned over to place me on the bed, but I attempted to pull him down with me, succeeding in having him laid across my stomach. No words were exchanged. Neither of us knew what to say. His face had managed to end up so close to mine. I stared in to his eyes. He no longer looked laid back like he usually did. I wanted to be closer to him, but I wasn't sure of how I was supposed to fulfill that overwhelming emotion within me. I touched my forehead to his, closing my eyes quietly. I breathed in his salty scent. Marco didn't move. It was like he was frozen in place. Then suddenly, he began to pull away. I let out a squeak of surprise and protest. He hovered over me, a playful glint in his eyes, a small smirk on his face. I wondered what he was thinking.

I circled my arms around him, trying to pull him down beside me, but he didn't budge. Marco placed his lips on mine. Heat rushed into my face. It was like his warmth was spreading through me. My hold on him loosened as I melted into the kiss. Marco held me to him with one hand. My heart beat raced ahead like a rabbit. The moment stretched on like hours until we finally pulled apart. Marco lay beside me, smiling slightly. I blushed nervously, panting softly. His warm breath enveloped my face, and I pushed closer to him, nuzzling his neck. I was tired.

When I awakened, Marco was still beside me, sleeping. I peered up at his sleeping face curiously. It was so relaxed. He looked so adorable. A smile spread across my face, and I knew I would treasure that memory for the rest of my life. I gave Marco a shadow kiss, and he pushed toward me.

"Aiya..." he breathed. A passing thought in his dreams. A blush grew into my cheeks. He was dreaming about me! My heart thundered in my chest. I was frozen by that thought. It was so embarrassing. I blinked, waking up from my trance. I should feel special that he was thinking about me. I nuzzled his collar bone, pressing closer to his warmth. He let out a soft groan that I did my best to ignore while settling back into sleep. The storm must've ended a while ago. Oh well though.

I was awakened by Marco moving. He was trying to slip out of bed without waking me, but we were so tangled up with each other that he didn't succeed. I yawned softly, pulling up off of him. He probably had some sort of captain duties to attend to. I looked up at him through half-lidded eyes.

"What time is it?" I asked him.

"Some time in the afternoon," he replied, then left the room. I never slept that late. What was wrong with me?! Then I smiled to myself. _Right... Marco._ I ducked my head under the covers, breathing in the lingering remnants of his scent and purring happily. I hoped that our relationship would blossom.]

**Yup, ending it like that is my specialty. Reviews are welcomed, though I shall warn you. I AM NOT CONTINUING THIS. I have done that with too many one-shots. I can't... Nope. Not happening. Read my Law one-shot. It's 11 chapters right now. **

**Please Review!  
**

**~Minatu-chan  
**


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